BREEDING AND HUNTING OF FOXHOUNDS. 81 



from mv kennel at Hurrold llall was tlio more 

 necessary, because I had often to go through covers 

 hokling foxes, by the rides, to reach the place of 

 the fixture. 



It is far easier to make hounds steady when there 

 is a large amount of riot in the covers than when 

 hares are very few. And it is a mistake in a master 

 or huntsman of hounds to avoid woods where there 

 are many hares, — in short, to show himself to be 

 afraid of them, in the mistaken and erroneous idea 

 that the hares lure the hounds away from the foxes, 

 that is a very silly error. 



There is a golden maxim, that all masters of 

 hounds would do well never to lose sight of, and 

 that is, always to leave off on blood, when at the 

 end of fair work you have got it; or, in other 

 words, if they have run a fox and killed him, in 

 length of time suflicient, and in pace enough to 

 suffice for those who really rode the run, then on 

 the death of tJiaf fox go liome. The duty of a 

 master of hounds is not merely to show the best 

 sport he can to the gentlemen of the country, but 

 he has also a duty to perform to liimself and his 

 liounds, to his horses and his men. He must con- 

 sider those interests, those apparently private but 



VOL. I.' G 



